Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for inspecting solar modules, and in particular systems and methods incorporating high-power light sources to impart ultraviolet fluorescence of solar modules. The systems and methods can include a filter and/or a camera.

Abstract: An example embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of diagnosing root causes of anomalous AMI meter data. The method can include receiving meter data, identifying anomalous data in the meter data, comparing the anomalous data to a database of known root causes, and generating a work order if there is a known root causes of the anomalous data. The method can also include requesting manual review of anomalous data without a known root cause and receiving input indicating a discovered root cause. The method can add the discovered root cause to the database of known root causes.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for confirming a tornado event has contacted a ground surface and for generating a path prediction. Upon receipt of power outage alarms from metering devices, the Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI) application can generate cluster areas based on the location of the metering devices. The AMI application can compare a cluster area to a tornado pattern to determine if the cluster area has experienced a tornado event. The AMI application can determine a speed and a direction of the tornado event based on the location and a time stamp of a power outage associated with the metering devices in the cluster areas.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling hot gas streams in the temperature range 800° C. to 1600° C. using multi-stage circulating fluid bed (CFB) coolers is disclosed. The invention relates to cooling the hot syngas from coal gasifiers in which the hot syngas entrains substances that foul, erode and corrode heat transfer surfaces upon contact in conventional coolers. The hot syngas is cooled by extracting and indirectly transferring heat to heat transfer surfaces with circulating inert solid particles in CFB syngas coolers. The CFB syngas coolers are staged to facilitate generation of steam at multiple conditions and hot boiler feed water that are necessary for power generation in an IGCC process. The multi-stage syngas cooler can include internally circulating fluid bed coolers, externally circulating fluid bed coolers and hybrid coolers that incorporate features of both internally and externally circulating fluid bed coolers.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for determining root causes of issues in an electrical grid. The method includes receiving local data from each of a plurality of meters. The local data may be indicative of voltage levels measured by the plurality of meters. The method also includes identifying abnormalities in the received local data. An abnormality is indicated by local data indicative of a voltage level that is outside of a predetermined range of acceptable levels. The method further includes associating each of the identified abnormalities with a respective meter and a geographic location of the respective meter and analyzing each of the identified abnormalities according to a predetermined set of evaluation factors to determine a root cause.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for optimizing how operators of facilities view and monitor data on displays via an operations console. A display hierarchy may be employed to facilitate access by an operator to relevant information concerning plant operations. Information may be classified and rendered on a display. An operator may navigate between the displays via interacting with a navigation menu located on a display.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a carbon-dioxide (“CO2”) sequestration system comprising a CO2 source, a process-water source, a membrane module, and a sequestration duct. The membrane module comprises a first section, a second section, and a membrane. The first section can be configured to receive gaseous CO2 at a first pressure from the CO2 source. The second section can be configured to receive process-water at a second pressure from the process-water source, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure. The membrane can be positioned between the first section and the second section and can comprise a plurality of apertures configured such that the gaseous CO2 passes through the plurality of apertures and dissolves into the process-water to form a process-water-CO2-solution. The sequestration duct can be in fluid communication with the second section and configured to transport the process-water-CO2 solution to a sequestration site.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a simultaneous multipoint testing system for analyzing the composition of a fluid in a duct. The system can comprise a plurality of probes each having a plurality of sample legs at different locations within the duct. Each probe can also comprise a mixing chamber for mixing fluid samples collected by each of the sample legs. The system can further comprise a global mixing chamber configured to receive the mixtures of fluid samples from each probe mixing chamber and mix those fluid samples to create a global fluid sample. The system can further comprise an analyzer configured to receive at least a portion of the global fluid sample and measure levels predetermined compounds present in the at least a portion of the global fluid sample.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for confirming a tornado event has contacted the ground surface and generating a path prediction. Upon receipt of power outage alarms from metering devices, the Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI) application can generate cluster areas based on the location of the metering devices. The AMI application can compare cluster area to a tornado pattern to determine if the cluster area has experienced a tornado. AMI application can determine a speed and a direction of the tornado event based on the location and a time stamp associated with the metering devices in the cluster areas.

Abstract: An embodiment of an electric meter socket testing system features a plurality of tester line terminals adapted to connect with line terminals of an electric meter socket; a plurality of tester load terminals adapted to connect with load terminals of the electric meter socket; and a test module adapted to control input of voltage from the line terminals to the load terminals; and an indication interface configured to output whether the electric meter socket is determined to be safe for connecting an electric meter. Accordingly, the test module may further be adapted to check for a short circuit in an electrical distribution wiring network coupled to the line terminals in at least one diagnostic procedure.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for calculating a downstream load in a power distribution network. A power distribution network may comprise smart meters capable of communicating readings describing power consumed by a customer to a monitoring computing device. A downstream load may be determined by the monitoring computing device for a point in the power distribution network using an average power determined for devices downstream from the point in the power distribution network. The average power for the devices downstream may be determined utilizing the readings received from the smart meters.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are directed to a mislinked meter system that identifies utility meters mislinked to a distribution transformer in a data store. Utility meters reporting voltages that vary more than other meters linked to the same distribution transformer in the data store may be physically linked to a different distribution transformer. To compare meter voltages, the mislinked meter system generates normal meter errors for the utility meters and a normal transformer error for some or all of the utility meters linked to the same distribution transformer. The normal meter error and transformer error represent the amount the voltages of a utility meter varies from the voltages of the other utility meters associated with the distribution transformer. The more the meter errors vary when compared to the transformer error, the more likely a utility meter is mislinked to the wrong distribution transformer in the data store.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling hot gas streams in the temperature range 800° C. to 1600° C. using multi-stage circulating fluid bed (CFB) coolers is disclosed. The invention relates to cooling the hot syngas from coal gasifiers in which the hot syngas entrains substances that foul, erode and corrode heat transfer surfaces upon contact in conventional coolers. The hot syngas is cooled by extracting and indirectly transferring heat to heat transfer surfaces with circulating inert solid particles in CFB syngas coolers. The CFB syngas coolers are staged to facilitate generation of steam at multiple conditions and hot boiler feed water that are necessary for power generation in an IGCC process. The multi-stage syngas cooler can include internally circulating fluid bed coolers, externally circulating fluid bed coolers and hybrid coolers that incorporate features of both internally and externally circulating fluid bed coolers.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are directed to a meter alert system that provides surveillance of meters and other components of a utility system. The meter alert system obtains, via a user interface, specification of one or more meter conditions among a list of meter conditions. The meter alert system generates a rule for a utility metering device according to the meter conditions, wherein the rule is associated with a utility metering device identifier of the utility metering device. The meter system executes the rule, wherein an execution of the rule generates an alert in response to at least one of the first meter condition being satisfied or the second meter condition being satisfied. The meter alert system transmits a notification message in response to the alert being generated.

Abstract: A coal feed system to feed pulverized low rank coals containing up to 25 wt % moisture to gasifiers operating up to 1000 psig pressure is described. The system includes gas distributor and collector gas permeable pipes imbedded in the lock vessel. Different methods of operation of the feed system are disclosed to minimize feed problems associated with bridging and packing of the pulverized coal. The method of maintaining the feed system and feeder device exit pressures using gas addition or extraction with the pressure control device is also described.

Abstract: Disclosed are cooling and depressurization system equipment, arrangement and methods to cool solid particles from a coal gasifier operating at high temperature and pressure. Ash needs to be continuously withdrawn from a circulating fluidized bed gasifier to maintain the solids inventory in the gasifier. The supports for the cooling surfaces are located on the lower temperature upper section of the primary cooler. The cooled solids along with the fluidizing gas exits the primary cooler to a secondary receiving vessel where the solids can be further cooled by conventional means. The fluidizing and entrained gas entering the secondary vessel is filtered and vented through a vent pressure control valve. The column of cooled solids in the secondary vessel is depressurized by a continuous depressurization system to low pressures which are sufficient for conveying the solids to silos for disposal.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for locating utility metering devices. Utility metering devices are those that are lost or stolen and that are facilitating unauthorized utility service access. Many AMI and/or AMR deployments lack the ability to remotely deactivate a meter. Accordingly, embodiments of this disclosure can generate a zone of interest in which an unauthorized utility metering device is located, and the unauthorized utility metering device can be subsequently located within the zone of interest.

Abstract: An apparatus to promote gas-liquid contact and facilitate enhanced mass transfer. The dispersed bubble reactor (DBR) operates in the dispersed bubble flow regime to selectively absorb gas phase constituents into the liquid phase. The dispersion is achieved by shearing the large inlet gas bubbles into fine bubbles with circulating liquid and additional pumped liquid solvent when necessary. The DBR is capable of handling precipitates that may form during absorption or fine catalysts that may be necessary to promote liquid phase reactions. The DBR can be configured with multistage counter current flow sections by inserting concentric cylindrical sections into the riser to facilitate annular flow. While the DBR can absorb CO2 in liquid solvents that may lead to precipitates at high loadings, it is equally capable of handling many different types of chemical processes involving solids (precipitates/catalysts) along with gas and liquid phases.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating data synchronization in a utility computing environment. A data synchronization application can monitor source systems in such an environment and generate periodic change sets that correspond to data that has changed in the various source systems. Destination systems can subscribe to change sets and receive the appropriate change sets by monitoring flags that the data synchronization application can set. Various classes of change sets that correspond to data within a particular change set can also be generated.

Abstract: This invention relates to gasification of high ash bituminous coals that have high ash fusion temperatures. The ash content can be in 15 to 45 weight percent range and ash fusion temperatures can be in 1150° C. to 1500° C. range as well as in excess of 1500° C. In a preferred embodiment, such coals are dealt with a two stage gasification process—a relatively low temperature primary gasification step in a circulating fluidized bed transport gasifier followed by a high temperature partial oxidation step of residual char carbon and small quantities of tar. The system to process such coals further includes an internally circulating fluidized bed to effectively cool the high temperature syngas with the aid of an inert media and without the syngas contacting the heat transfer surfaces. A cyclone downstream of the syngas cooler, operating at relatively low temperatures, effectively reduces loading to a dust filtration unit.